Quenching fixture



May 8, 1962 A. s. FRENCH QUENGHING FIXTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June18, 1959 ATTORNEY May 8, 1962 A. s. FRENCH 3,033,548

QUENCHING FIXTURE Filed June 18, 1959 2 Sheees-Sheerl 2 IN VENTOR ALBERTS. FRENCH BY w@ ATTORNEY Unite 3,033,548 ce y Patented May 8, 1962 ofOhio Filed June 18, 1959, Ser. No. 821,144 3 Claims. (Cl. 266-6) Thisinvention relates to the art of quench hardening or quench strengtheningmetals, and more particularly to a fixture for preventing warpage ofstructural angle iron during quenching.

Structural angle iron is usually produced in the steel mills by aprocess known as hot rolling. Such hot rolled angle irons normally haverelatively low tensile strengths making it necessary to use for a givenload situation a greater weight of iron than would be necessary if themetal had a higher tensile strength. It is known that the tensilestrength of iron can be increased by heating the metal to an elevatedtemperature, e.g., approximately l400 F. and then quenching it at such arate that the internal micro structure of the steel is changed to onehaving a much higher tensile strength than that of hot rolled steel. Oneof the difficulties, however, with such quench hardening and quenchstren-gthening procedures is the uneven expansions and contractionscaused by the heating and the quenching which give rise to excessivedistortion in the final quench strengthened product. The problem isparticularly severe as the size of the angle iron to bequench-strengthened is increased.

The present invention is directed to a novel fixture which positivelyprevents any substantial distortion of such angle irons during such aquench strengthening operation, even for angle irons as large as 8" x 8"X 1" in cross section and as long as in length.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a quenchfixture for large angle irons comprised of upper and lower rigid platensof a length greater than the irons to be quench-strengthened and soconstructed and arranged as to receive between them the angle which isto be quench-hardened, but so as to permit the easy entry of water orother quenching medium into contact with the iron. Such platens arearranged in combination with power operated means for moving the platensinto firm engagement with both sides of the angle to prevent warpingduring the quenching operation.

Further in accordance with the invention, the surfaces of the platensdirectly engage opposite sides of the angle iron, but such surfaces arerecessed at spaced points opposite to surfaces of the opposite platen sothat the platens will have a maximum engaging surface with the angleiron, but still will not interfere with the quenching operation.

. It is an object of t is invention to provide a novel and improvedfixture for holding a structural sized angle during quench hardening ofthe latter.

It is also an object of this invention to provide such a fixture whichpositively prevents the structural angle from becoming distorted to anysubstantial extent as a result vof such quench hardening.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a fixture which doesnot interfere with the effective quench hardening of the structuralangle.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent fromthe following detailed description of a presently-preferred embodimentthereof, which is illus- 'trated inthe accompanying drawings.

4broken away for clarity showing the quench fixture of the presentinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary top plan view thereof on an enlarged scale;

FIGURE 3 is a-vertical section taken along the line 3 3 in FIG. 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along the line 4-4 inFIG. 1; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged section taken along the line 5--5 in FIG. 3 andshowing the chamfered edges of the plates on the upper and lower platenswhich engage the apart in succession along the fixture,as best seen in YFIG. l. ,Each of these plates 13 is relatively rigid, although capableof a certain degree of flexing, and each defines at its upper end anupwardly facing, V-shaped seat for receiving and supporting thestructural angle member 14 which is to be quench hardened. As shown inFIG. 3, this V-shaped seat is defined by top edges 15 and 16 on eachplate 13 which edges extend away from each other laterally and upwardlyat opposite 45 angles to the horizontal. As shown in FIG. 5, each ofthese top edges is beveled or chamfered at the opposite faces of thatplate for a purpose which will be stated hereinafter. The beveledportions are designated by the reference numerals 16a and 16h at theedge 16 of the plate 13 in FIG. 5.

As shown in FIG. 3, each of the top edges 15 and 16 of each plate 13 isformed with four evenly spaced rectangular notches 17. Another upwardlyfacing rectangular notch 18 is formed in each plate 13 at the bottom ofthe V-shaped seat between the edges 15 and 16. The severallongitudinally spaced apart plates 13 are all identical, with the topedges 15 of all lying in a common plane and the top edges 16 of alllying in a common plane.

The lower platen 1t) also includes a pair of longitudinal side bars 19and 20 (FIG. 3) which run lengthwise of the lower platen in spacedrelationship above the base angle irons 11 and 12, as best seen in FIG.3. These side bars are rigidly attached to the opposite edges of theseveral plates 13 by welding.

The upper platen of the fixture includes a rigid cylindrical pipe 21which extends lengthwise above the lower platen 1t). A plurality oflongitudinally spaced apart plates 22 are welded to the lower side ofpipe 21, extending downward therefrom toward the respective plates 13 onthe lower platen, as best seen in FIG. 3. Each of the plates 22 on theupper platen is aligned vertically with the corresponding plate 13 onthe lower platen. As shown in FIG. 3, each plate 22 is V-shaped at itslower end, presenting bottom edges 23 and 24 which extend upward andlaterally outward at opposite 45 angles to the horizontal. As shown inFIG. 5, these edges are beveled or chamfered at their Opposite faces,the beveled portions of edge V24' being indicated by the referencenumerals 24a and 24b. These bottom edges 23 and 24 on the plates 22 ofthe upper platen engage the upper faces of the structural angle 14 whichis to be quench hardened. At each of these bottom edges 23 and 24, thereare formed four notches 25 of rectangular cross section which arestaggered or offset with respect to the upwardly facing notches 17formed in the top edges of the respective plate 13 on the lower platen.Also, at the intersection of the edges 23 and 24, at the crotch of theV, a notch or cut away portion 26 is provided.

In one practical embodiment, the plates 13 and 22 on the lower `andupper platens are each 5%: inch thick and are spaced apart in successionlengthwise of the xture 3% inches. In this embodiment, the upwardlyfacing notches 17 in each plate 13 on the lower platen are each 3A inchwide, neighboring notches 17 being spaced apart from each other adistance of 1% inches, and the notch 18 is inch wide and is spaced fromthe adjacent notches 17 a distance of 1% inches. In this embodiment, thedownwardly facing notches 25 on each plate 22 on the upper platen areeach 34 inch wide and spaced apart from each other a distance of 1%tinches, with the lowermost pair of these notches 25 being located adistance of 1% inches along the respective lower edge from the crotch ofthe V. By virtue of this arrangement, the notches 25 in the plates 22 ofthe upper platen are positioned opposite solid portions of the upperedges 15 and 16 of the respective plates 13 in the lower platen, whilethe notches 17 in the upper edges of the plates 13 are positionedopposite solid portions of the respective plates 22 at their loweredges.

In order to insure proper vertical alignment between the upper and lowerplatens, there are provided a plurality of stabilizer bars 30 which arerigidly connected to the upper platen 21 at its opposite sides and whichextend downward therefrom. As best seen in FIG. 4, each stabilizer bar30 is Welded to a plate 31 which is attached at its opposite ends to anadjacent pair of the plates 22 on the upper platen, as shown in FIG. 1.Each stabilizer bar 3b extends vertically downward and is snugly, butslidably, received in a guide member 32 which is welded at its oppositeends to the longitudinal side bar 19 on the lower platen. This guidemember 32 defines a vertically extending opening of rectangular crosssection which slidably receives the corresponding stabilizer bar 30. Inthe embodiment illustrated, there are four such stabilizer bars 30 andguides 32 on each side of the. tixture. It has been found in practicethat this arrangement insures that the upper and lower platen will movedirectly toward and away from each other when actuated.

Suitable power-operated means is provided for selectively moving theupper and lower platens together to clamp the structural angle 14-between them just before quenching and to move the upper and lowerplatens apart to release the angle following quenching. While thispower-operated mechanism may take severall different forms, in thepreferred embodiment it comprises a toggle mechanism lactuated by an aircylinder.

Referring to FIGA, the air cylinder 40 is bolted on top of the pipe 21near one end thereof. A piston (not shown) is reciprocably mountedinside the cylinder and is coupled to a reciprocatory shaft 41. Suitableair inlet and outlet fittings are provided at 42 and 43, respectively.

The piston shaft 41 is coupled pivotally through a yoke 41a to a pair ofrigid links 44. At their opposite ends the links 44 are coupledpivotally through a cross pin 47 to an elongated shaft 45 which extendslengthwise across the top of the upper platen.

A plurality of toggle links 46 are pivotally connected at their upperends to the shaft 45 at spacedpoints along the latters length. Thispivotal connection is provided by a cross pin 47 in each instance.

As shown in FIG. 3, each such toggle link is composed of two legs 48which are `joined by a connecting plate 48a, the complete unit being ofapproximately inverted U-'shape in cross section, as shown in FIG. 3,with upstanding ears 49 connected to the pivot pin 47. Each such togglelink straddles the pipe 2-1 of the upper platen with the opposite legs4S of the toggle link being spaced from the pipe 21, as best seen inFIG. 3. At each toggle link 46 there is provided a shaft 50 whichextends from front to back through the middle of the pipe 21 andinterconnects the lower ends of the respective opposite legs 48 of thetoggle link. A suitable flanged bearing 51 is engaged between the lowerend of each toggle linkage leg 48 and the adjacent end of the shaft 50so that the toggle link 46 can turn with respect to the shaft 50. Theshaft Si) is tightly received by the pipe 21 so that any verticalmovement of the shaft Sil will be imparted to the upper platen.

Each toggle link 46 also presents a pair of legs 52 which respectivelyextend upward from the lower ends of the legs 48, as shown in FIG. l. Asbest been in FIG. 3, these legs 52 diverge outwardly away from theVelti-` cal planes of the respective lower ends of the legs 48. At theirouter ends the legs 52 `carry horizontal pins 53 which are pivotallyconnected to downwardly extending links 54. At their lower ends thelinks 54 are attached to bolts 55. The lower ends of the bolts 55 areattached to inverted U-shaped links 56 which are pivotally mounted onfixed pins 57. The respective pins 57 are supported ixedly from thelower platen. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3, each pin 57 is mounted at oneend in the longitudinal reinforcing bar 19 or 20, and is mounted at itsopposite end in a bracket 58 which is welded to the base angle iron 11or 12 and extends upward therefrom. With this construction therespective bolts 55 are pivotally supported from pivots 57 which areiixed on the lower platen.

In the operation of this mechanism, when it is desired to spread theupper and lower platens away from each other, the air cylinder 40 isoperated to move the piston shaft 41 to the right in FIG. l. Theresulting movement of the shaft 45 to the right causes the severaltoggle linkages to move the upper and lower platens apart from eachother. Conversely, when the air cylinder 40 is operated to move thepiston shaft 41 to the left, the resultant movement of the shaft 45 tothe left causes the several toggle linkages to move the upper and lowerplatens toward each other.

In the use of this fixture in a quench hardening operation, the angleiron 14 which is to be quenched after having been heated to the quenchhardening temperature is drawn lengthwisey across the upwardly facingV-shaped seats defined by the plates 13 on the lower platen. This isdone when the upper and lower platens are spread apart a suliicientdistance to permit such insertion of the angle iron. Immediately afterseating the angle iron 14 on the lower platen, as described, the aircylinder 40 is actuated to cause the upper and lower platens to movetoward each other and thereby move into clamping engagement with theinner and outer sides of the angle iron 14, as shown in FIG. 3. Then thefixture with the angle iron clamped in place is dunked rapidly in a tankfilled with quenching fluid such as oil or water. During such quenching,the fixture holds Y the angle iron 14 throughout its length in such amanner as to prevent the angle iron from distorting transverse to itslength as a result of such quenching. The notches 17 and 18 in eachplate 13 on the lower platen Iand the notches 25 and 26 in the plates 22on the upper platen permit the circulation of the quenching liquidacross the inner and outer faces of the angle iron 14 so that thequenching takes place as effectively and about as quickly as it wouldtake place in the absence of this fixture. Since the notches in theupper platen plates 22 are in staggered relationship with respect to thenotches in the lower platen plate 13, there is no appreciable tendencyfor the angle member 14 to become distorted at these notches. As alreadypointed out in the preferred embodiment, the work-piece engaging edgesof the plates 13 and 22 are beveled or chamfered, as shown in FIG. 5.This is to permit lengthwise slippage of the angle member 14 as itcontracts during quenching. This is highly desirable since the fact thatsuch longitudinal contraction of the angle member is permitted to takeplace further reduces the tendency for strains to be set up in the anglemember which would tend to produce distortion of the angle membertransverse to its length. Also, the plates 13 and 22 are capable offlexing to a slight degree, which further tends to permit longitudinalcontraction of the angle iron 14 without transverse distortion thereof.

While there has been described in detail herein and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings a specific presently preferred embodiment of thisinvention, it is to be understood that various modications, omissionsand refinements which depart from the disclosed embodiment may beadopted without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, l claim:

l. A fixture for holding elongated heated structural shapes ofsubstantially uniform cross section as such shapes are subjected to aquenching action, said fixture being comprised of a pair of platens ofgenerally equal length longer than the length of the structural shape tobe held, each platen being comprised of an elongated structural memberrigid in both the horizontal and vertical directions transverse to itslongitudinal length, a plurality of similar and equally spaced platesrigidly fastened to said structural member and each having a planeperpendicular to the longitudinal length thereof, each plate having anedge extending transversely to the longitudinal length of said memberwith the edges of each plate of each platen all being in a common plane,the plane of the edges of one platen being parallel to the plane of theedges of the other platen to define an elongated work piece receivingspace of uniform thickness in both a longitudinal and transversedirection, the plates of one platen being spaced the same distanceapartand in the same transverse plane as the plates of the other platen,the edges of each plate having a plurality of spaced notches extendinggenerally transversely to the plane of the plate and longitudinally ofthe platen, the notches of one plate of one platen being so spaced anarranged as to be offset from the notches of the opposed plate of theother platen and means for forcefully bringing said platens intopressure engagement with a work piece positioned therebetween wherebywhen saidwork piece is placed in a quench tank, the work piece is heldwith a maximum degree of rigidity while exposing the maximum surfacearea of the work piece to direct contact with the quenching liquid.

2. A fixture yfor holding elongated heated structural shapes ofsubstantially uniform cross section as such shapes are subjected to aquenching action, said fixture being comprised of a pair of platens ofgenerally equal length longer than the length of the structural shape to'be held, each platen being comprised of an elongated structural memberrigid in both the horizontal and vertical directions transverse to itslongitudinal length, a plurality of similar and equally spaced platesrigidly fastened to said structural member and each having a planeperpendicular to the longitudinal length thereof, each plate having anedge extending transversely to the ngitudinal length of said member withlthe edges of each plate of each platen all being in a comm-on plane,the plane of the edges of one platen being parallel to the plane of theedges of the other platen to dene an elongated work piece receivingspace of uniform thickness in both a longitudinal and transversedirection, the plates of one platen being spaced the same distance apartand in the same transverse plane as the plates of the other platen, theedges of each plate having a plurality of spaced notches extendinggenerally transversely to the plane of the plate and longitudinally ofthe platen, the notches of one plate of one platen being so spaced andplate of the other platen and means arranged as to be offset from thenotches olf the opposed plate of the other platen and means forforcefully bringing said platens into pressure engagement with a workpiece positioned therebetween, a plurality of toggles pivotally mountedon one platen on longitudinally spaced transversely extending axes, eachtoggle including a first arm mechanically connected to the other platen,`and a second arm and power means interconnecting the second arm of eachtoggle for pivoting said toggles and moving said platens into pressureengagement with a work piece positioned in the work piece receivingspace of said fixture.

3. A fixture for holding elongated heated structural shapes ofsubstantially uniform cross section `as suche'y shapes are subjected toa quenching action, said fixture being comprised of a pair of'platens ofgenerally equal length longer than the length of the structural shape tobe held, each platen being comprised of an elongated structural memberrigid in both the horizontal and vertical directions transverse to itslongitudinal length, a plurality of similar and equally spaced platesrigidly .fastened to said structural member and each having a planeperpendicular to the longitudinal length thereof, each plate having anedge extending transversely to the longitudinal `length of said memberwith the edges of each plate of each platen all being in a common plane,the plane of the edges of one platen being parallel to the plane of theedges of the other platen to define an elongated work piece receivingspace of uniform thickness in both a longitudinal and transversedirection, the plates of one platen being spaced the same `distanceapart and in the same transverse plane as the plates of the otherplaten, the edges of each plate having a plurality of spaced notchesextending generally transversely to the plane of the plate andlongitudinally of the platen, the notches of one plate of one platenbeing so spaced and arranged as to be offset from the notches of theopposed for forcefully bringing said platens into pressure engagementwith a work piece positioned therebetween, a plurality of 4togglespivotally mounted on one platen on longitudinally spaced transverselyextending axes, each toggle including a frst arm mechanically connectedto the other platen, and a second arm and power means interconnectingthe second arm of each toggle for pivoting said toggles and I movingsaid platens into pressure engagement with a work piece, said platesbeing rigid in -a transverse direction and slightly flexible in alongitudinal direction, the edges of said plates between said notchesbeing bevelled whereby said plates may flex slightly iny a longitudinaldirectlon to permit the work piece clamped between the edges to sliplongitudinally relative thereto and contract as the work piece cools.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS256,898 Jacobs Apr. 25, 1882 1,418,985 Stock June 6, 1922 1,444,258Lothrop Feb. 6, 1923 2,608,752 Schilling Sept. 2, 1952 2,709,077 AllenMay 24, 19755 FOREIGN PATENTS 667,961 Great Britain Mar. 12, 1952

